Standard tab. Usually, no code is provided for an actor,
since it is external to the system.

Note

The source tab content can be changed, but the changes
are not retained.

Constraints

Standard tab. ArgoUML only supports constraints on
Classes and Features (Attributes, Operations, Receptions, and
Methods), so this tab is grayed out.

Tagged Values

Standard tab. In the UML metamodel,
Actor has the following standard tagged values
defined.

persistence (from the superclass,
Classifier). Values
transitory, indicating state is
destroyed when an instance is destroyed or
persistent, marking state is preserved when an
instance is destroyed.

Tip

Actors sit outside the system, and so their
internal behavior is of little concern, and this tagged
value is best ignored.

semantics (from the superclass,
Classifier). The value is a
specification of the semantics of the actor.

derived (from the superclass,
ModelElement). Values
true, meaning the actor is redundant???it
can be formally derived from other elements, or
false meaning it cannot.

Note

Derived actors have limited value, since they sit
outside the system being designed. They may have their
value in analysis to introduce useful names or
concepts.

Checklist

Standard tab for a Classifier.

17.2.2. Actor Property Toolbar

Go up

Navigate up through the package structure of the
model.

Add
Actor

This creates a new actor within the model, (but not
within the diagram), navigating immediately to the properties
tab for that actor.

Tip

This method of creating a new actor may be confusing.
It is much better to create an actor on the diagram.

Delete

This deletes the selected actor from the model.

Warning

This is a deletion from the model
not just the diagram. To delete an
actor from the diagram, but keep it within the model, use
the main menu Remove From Diagram (or
press the Delete key).

17.2.3. Property Fields For Actor

Name

Text box. The name of the actor. The diagram shows this
name below the stick man figure. Since an actor is a
classifier, it would be conventional to Capitalize the first
letter (and initial letters of any component words), e.g.
RemoteSensor.

Note

ArgoUML does not enforce any naming convention for
actors

Stereotype

Drop down selector. Actor is provided by default with
the UML standard stereotypes ( metaclass,
powertype, process,
thread, utility) for
classifiers. Stereotypes are of limited value with actors. The
stereotypes machine,
organization, person
and singleton are probably of most use.
However, they are not provided by default with ArgoUML.

Text box. Records the namespace for the actor. This is
the package hierarchy.

Modifiers

Check box, with entries Abstract,
Leaf and Root.

Abstract is used to declare that
this actor cannot be instantiated, but must always be
specialized.

Caution

While actors can be specialized and generalized,
it is not clear that an abstract actor has any meaning.
Perhaps it might be used to indicate an actor that does
not itself interact with a use case, but whose children
do.

leaf indicates that this actor
can have no further children, while
Root indicates it is a top level actor with no
parent.

Generalizations

Text area. Lists any actor that
generalizes this actor.

Button 1 double click navigates to the
generalization and opens its property tab.

Specializations

Text box. Lists any specialized actor (i.e. for which
this actor is a generalization. The specialized actors can
communicate with the same use case instances as this
actor.

Button 1 double click navigates to the
generalization and opens its property tab.

Association Ends

Text area. Lists any association ends of associations
connected to this actor.